Author's note: Oh! Hey! Another chapter already?! You bet! Let me know what you think!

Happy reading!

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Katniss parked in the driveway to Peeta's house. Peeta stepped out the back door of the bakery and waved them over.

"I wasn't sure where you would be." Katniss met him on the steps and brushed a kiss over his lips.

Peeta smiled and squeezed her hands. "Cal is at the house."

"I'll go get her." Caleb volunteered. He ran to the house and let himself in.

"So what do you have planned for today?" Katniss asked, taking his hand and leading him down the steps.

Peeta threaded his fingers through hers and walked with her. "I thought I'd ask him what he was in the mood for. May play some video games or play catch or go to the park and see who's better at the monkey bars."

"He loves the monkey bars." She smiled. "I hope you aren't getting behind at work?"

"I got up early and finished decorating a cake this morning so I could have this time." He kissed the back of her hand. "What about you and Cal?"

"Some target practice. Maybe some girl talk." She looked toward the house where the kids were now exiting. "Caleb has been asking some questions about you and me. So if he asks you, feel free to tell him whatever you feel comfortable with. He deserves to know."

"I think Cal's been taking it in stride. But I think she likes seeing how you are with me. She's told me a lot over the years how much she wants a mom. So you should probably work that into your girl talk."

"Katniss!" Callie wrapped her arms around Katniss's waist.

Katniss laughed and hugged her back. "Calliope!"

Callie looked up. "I have my bow and arrows all ready."

"And I have mine too. I'll let you try it out today. Just promise to be careful."

"Promise."

Peeta asked, "Want to meet back here for lunch? Maybe Caleb and I will put something together."

"Like what?" Caleb asked.

"You ever make pizza?"

The boy shook his head. "People make them at home?"

"Sure do. And if you want to, we'll make one for your mom and Callie."

"That sounds like fun."

"Load up, Callie." Katniss said. She leaned down and told Caleb, "You have fun. I love you."

"Love you, Mom!" He threw his arms around her neck.

She kissed his cheek. She straightened up as Callie finished saying goodbye to Peeta. Katniss cupped his cheeks and brushed another kiss over his lips. "We'll see you in a couple hours."

"Bye." He rubbed her upper arms before she stepped away. "Come on, Caleb. Let's go to the park."

"I love the park!" Caleb exclaimed. He latched onto the baker's hand.

Katniss and Callie loaded the bow and arrow into Katniss's car and headed to the range.

Callie asked after a while, "Katniss, are you my dad's girlfriend?"

"Not yet." Katniss answered. "But I think he wants me to be."

"You don't want to be?"

Katniss took several seconds to answer. She pulled the car off into a parking lot and put it in park. She turned to Callie. "When I was just a little older than you, I met a boy. And that boy convinced me to do some things that weren't very good. And he was mean to me, but he made me believe no one would ever be nice to me. So I married him and he was still mean to me. And I had Caleb and he was still mean to me. I finally got away and was safe. And I have been for a long time. But because of him being mean to me, I have a hard time letting other people be nice to me. So I like your dad. And I like the idea of being with you guys as a family, but it scares me."

"My dad's not mean."

"I know."

Callie looked out the window. She looked back at Katniss. "So maybe you should stop kissing him so much."

"Maybe I should."

"You won't though, will you?"

Katniss shook her head. "Maybe I'll be his girlfriend soon."

"I hope so."

Katniss started the car again and they were off. "So last night you were pretty good."

"Yeah, I'm getting better. Do you think I'll ever be as good as you?"

"I bet you will. We'll keep practicing."

"Yes." Callie looked over. "Did you ever date Gale?"

Katniss chuckled. "No. Gale's always been my friend."

Callie asked softly, "Can I tell you something?"

"I hope you feel comfortable enough to tell me anything. And I promise whatever you say stays between us, unless I fear it's something dangerous. Okay?"

"Okay." She took a moment and then said, "I think I like Finn."

"Like you want to be his girlfriend?"

"Yeah. Am I old enough to like boys?"

Katniss chuckled. "I think so."

"Should I say something to Finn?"

"Do you think it will do anything?"

She shrugged. "I don't want to lose my friend or make it weird."

Katniss nodded. "So maybe don't say anything yet. Just be friends. It's okay to just be friends with a boy. Even if you like him a little."

"As long as I don't kiss him."

Katniss chuckled. "Am I ever going to get away from that?"

Callie shook her head.

"Fair enough." Katniss stopped in front of the range. "Okay, we're just doing this for fun. So don't be hard on yourself if you miss any shots."

"Same for you." Callie got out and walked to the back of the car to wait for Katniss to open the trunk.

They each got their bows and arrows and walked inside the range. They started out with warmups. Katniss eventually started showing off a little. She made shots from the side and crouching and standing. Callie filmed it all on Katniss's phone.

Then Katniss took the phone and filmed Callie. She made a few close to the center, but they mostly still hit outside the target.

"Okay, how about one more and then we'll break it all down and go get some ice cream or something?"

"Okay." Callie took her stance and aimed.

Katniss filmed as the girl took her shot and made her first ever bullseye.

Callie looked over. "Did I just do that?"

"You did." Katniss said. "And I got it all on camera. Wave."

"Hi! I just made my first bullseye!"

Katniss laughed and turned off the camera. She gathered Callie into her arms. "I'm so proud of you. Want to try again?"

Callie shook her head. "Better not risk it."

Katniss laughed again and kissed the top of her head. "You're such a smart kid."

"Thanks." Callie laughed. "Can we get ice cream now?"

"Sure. But not too much because your dad's making pizza for lunch."

"Peeta, you're the best." Caleb said as he poured the ingredients into the bowl that Peeta measured.

Peeta chuckled. "Well, thank you. You're pretty cool yourself."

Caleb giggled. "So when are you marrying my mom?"

Peeta smiled and said, "Whenever she falls in love with me."

"But she's in love with you now. I know she is."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, I asked her yesterday and she said she didn't know. But I know because I just do. She loves you. So you should marry her right away."

Peeta chuckled. "I don't think it's going to happen. But I'm glad you are okay with it."

"Totally okay with it." He leaned over the bowl as Peeta started the mixer. "So what happens with the dough now?"

"We're going to let it set up and then we'll flatten the dough into circles and then cover them in toppings and bake them. And then Mom and Cal should be home just in time to eat."

"I like Cal."
"I'm glad."

"And I like you."

Peeta ruffled his hair. "I like you, too, kiddo."

"Can we go throw that Frisbee?"

"Yep. Let's go." Peeta rolled the dough out on the counter and covered it. He picked the Frisbee off the counter and motioned Caleb outside in front of him.

Caleb wasn't very good at catching it, but he was really good at throwing it. Peeta had to jump up to catch the Frisbee.

"How are you with the bow?" Peeta asked as he gently spun the disc in Caleb's direction.

The boy just barely missed it and had to run after it. He picked it up and came back. "I'm good. Mama says I'm improving." He threw the Frisbee for all he was worth.

"Well, you're good at this at least." Peeta chuckled as he ran after the Frisbee.

"Could we do this every day?"

"Maybe not every day, but we can hang out more often. Your mom wants us to."

"So I can have a good male influence." Caleb said. He must have heard it a lot.

Peeta chuckled. "Yeah." He tossed the Frisbee and watched Caleb run after it. Then he ran after Caleb. He lifted the boy up and grabbed his knees, turning him upside down.

Caleb laughed and dropped his arms. "The blood is rushing to my eyeballs!"

Peeta laughed and shook him a little. "I hope it doesn't come out. That would be gross!"

"All over your yard."

"And I'd have to wash it all away. Ew!"

"I'll make you eat it."

Peeta swung him up and caught his shoulders. "I'm not a vampire."

"I'll put it on the pizza for sauce." Caleb said with a mischievous grin.

Peeta laughed and kissed his cheek. "Let's go in and make the pizza. With tomato sauce." He sat the boy on his feet.

Caleb laughed. "Okay, I guess that would taste better."

"You guess?" He pulled the boy against his side. "I guess so too."

They were just pulling the first pizza out of the oven and putting the second in when Katniss and Callie came into the house laughing about something from outside.

Callie hugged her father and then went to put her bow away. Caleb followed, asking her about her day.

Katniss wrapped her arms around Peeta and rested her head on his shoulder. "Ask Callie about how she did."

"I will." He kissed the top of her head. "Caleb and I had a good time."

"I'm glad." She stepped back. "He follows her around like she's his big sister and he wants to know her business."

"Good to see them comfortable with each other like that." Peeta smiled and smoothed a hand over Katniss's hair. "Can I have a kiss?"

"You can."

He leaned in and kissed her softly. He rested his forehead against hers and rubbed her back.

"Daddy, I got a bullseye today!" Callie said as she hurried back into the room.

"You did? Why didn't you say anything before?" He hurried over and lifted her up in a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you, sweetie!"

"Katniss recorded it. And I recorded her doing some really cool trick shots." She took Katniss's offered phone and pulled up the video. "Look at me." She showed him the video.

"Look at you go!" Peeta hugged her around the shoulders. He watched it again and kissed his daughter's temple. "I really am so proud of you."

"Thank you." She took the phone back. "Look at Katniss shoot from her knees!" She showed him another video.

"Wow, Katniss, you're incredible."

The last word sounded like something he'd normally say when they were alone. He noticed Katniss take in a sharp breath. She covered it up by looking over at the pizza that was just removed from the oven.

"This looks delicious. I can't wait to eat it." She said.

"Me too." Peeta said, giving her a wink.

Katniss shook her head slightly. "Is there anything else we need to do?"

"Nope, I think we have it covered." Peeta pulled the other pizza out of the oven. "You kids need to wash up."

"Sure, Dad." Callie pulled Caleb out of the room.

"You're so mean." Katniss said as she slipped a hand over Peeta's bottom.

He chuckled. "I'm not the only one. The other day you called me 'amazing' in a way that had me almost need leave the table to cool off."

She smiled. "I didn't mean to."

"I didn't necessarily mean to either. But that eating comment was intentional."

"Maybe some other time." She kissed his lips and then stepped back.

"I can make arrangements."

"Not tonight."

He leaned close. "What are your thoughts on sexting?"

She chuckled. "I don't know. Send me one later and we'll see."

He kissed her again and then started fixing up plates for everyone.